Ashland police charge Milford woman with endangering child

Tuesday

Jul 15, 2014 at 6:00 AM

By Norman MillerDaily News Staff

A Milford woman was taking her legally prescribed medication and should not have been arrested Sunday in Ashland for driving under the influence of drugs and child endangerment, her lawyer argued in Framingham District Court on Monday.Ashland Police arrested Melanie Delarosa, 54, on Chestnut Street on Sunday at 3:55 p.m. Delarosa's attorney, Mark Helwig, said police erred."She showed me her prescription, and she is supposed to take 44 tablets a day and monitored by the Registry (of Motor Vehicles)," Helwig told Judge Douglas Stoddart. "Each month, her doctor fills out a form that she brings to the Registry that shows she can drive on her medication."Police pulled Delarosa on Sunday after another driver reported a minivan driving erratically, according to a police report filed in Framingham District Court on Monday.The officer said Delarosa appeared to be intoxicated, but she denied being drunk. She said she had taken her prescription Opana ER, which she has to take 11 pills at a time, four times a day. She had the pills in an unmarked bottle.Inside the car was a 3-year-old child. She said the boy was her ex-husbandís son, whom she watched frequently.In the report, police said they felt taking 11 pills at a time and driving was improper.Police charged Delarosa, of 54 West St., was charged with possession of a Class B substance, driving†under the influence of drugs (second offense) and child endangerment while OUI.Prosecutor Nate Burris asked Stoddart to set Delarosaís bail at $300, take no drugs other than a prescription and not to drive without a license.Helwig argued that Delarosa was legally allowed to drive based on the fact it was a valid prescription and the Registry allowed her to drive with the monthly doctor notes.Stoddart released Delarosa without bail and ordered her to drive only if she has a valid license. Delarosa is due back in court on Aug. 15.Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date crime news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW.